Well, Here I sit in pain and itching to get moving and can't. I hurt my back putting my saddle in my truck on Saturday morning to go to my horsemanship class. I went anyway. By the time I arrived in Cannonsburg, I was really stiff. I did ride all day, probably shouldn't have, but I am one of those who has to get done what needs doing. Anyway, I tried everything to releive the pain and immobility. I made it through church on Sunday, tried not to let on that I was in pain. Monday I went to the chiro and got an adjustment, very painful I might add. Came home and tried to relax, to no avail. My back felt so stiff I could barely bend over to tie my shoes, or put my boots on. Tuesday was a little better so I tried to do more, I even rode Raven for a bit. but I don't think that helped. Did I mention I am in pain? I went to the chiro again this morning and got an adjustment again. I hate the long ride home because sitting for almost a 1/2 hour doesn't help. I went to turn into the gas station and hit a bump, it felt like someone just slammed my lower back into the ground like when you go to sit down and some pulls your seat out from under you. Needless to say I got home and put ice on my back. I just took it off and decided to write this. I am not asking you to join my pity party, but are there not times in your life when you find something impeding your progress or process. Some glitch in the system or a speed bump that is slowing you down a tad? I think that the Lord has me slowing down for a reason. I want to get going on Raven today, because I am learning so much about riding a horse that I am thirsting to put my new understanding to practice. However, I don't think that would be the wisest thing right now for my back. The slow way is often the best way to recovery. One of the things I am doing is more steadily, purposefully putting my mind on the Scripture, in particular Psalm 119 in an attempt to commit it section by section to memory (getting ready for Sunday services) as well as meditating on Phil. 4:8-9 getting ready for tonite's prayer meeting. Both passages are full of truth for me right now.
right now I have to live with the pain. Hopefully, it will be gone soon and I will be 'back in the saddle' again, for real. But for now I have to realize 'no pain, no gain' is the reality for me at this moment. You chew on that last one for a moment to be ready for the next bout with pain you have and see if it isn't true.
jeff
Ps. 119:5, 67
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Is your life like riding a bucking horse?
Wow, I was looking at the date of my last blog, June 28th. Sorry its been son long. I have gotten a few people who reminded me they were reading my blog and checking it regularly for something new. I will try to get better at writing at least once a week.
I sent home a colt last week who was pretty good. I was pleased with him until I had the owner come to pick him up and then began to demonstrate what 'Sonny' new now that he had been under my tutelage for a month. Everything went smoothly, he did everthing I asked for from the ground on the lunge line, lateral and vertical softness, backing, standing to be saddled and have his feet picked out. I even sidepassed him on the rail a few times. His owner was impressed. The smooth sailing continued as I mounted from the off side and bent him to softness laterally, vertically and asked him to back on two reins. We moved out at a walk and then bent him to a stop, 1 rein, and then a disengagement, to show her the breaks worked really good on this colt. We even did it all from a trot. I asked for a few steps in sidepassing both directions. Then I asked him to canter. That is when it happened. He bucked, just a little, to let me know that He didn't like being asked to move faster. So I bent him to a slow trot on a circle then asked him to stretch out and canter again, then he bucked pretty good. Now this was rather embarrassing as I don't imagine a horse owner who has paid good money to have their horse trained really wants to take their 'bucking' horse home yet. However, I had this problem solved. He had done the same thing to me before, so I put an extra pad on his withers above the scapula, but that didn't work initially until I had also trimmed his toes on his rear feet. Most of us don't like to step on our toes consistently or to be stepped on so we take steps to avoid it. He was clipping his front heel with his hind foot, so taking off some toe solved that problem. The combination of extra pad, and shortened toe made asking for a canter no problemo. However, the day the owner came I stupidly decided I didn't need the extra pad under saddle. Then came the bucking and the red face. I quickly put the extra pad on and cantered away with no problem. This just goes to show you pride goes before a fall/or buck. It reminds me that taking care of the little irritants of life makes the rest of the day go lots better. What I mean is, take care of the little things, wash your underwear and socks, take a shower, eat a good breakfast, go to work, be kind to everyone, smile, change the oil in your car regularly, check the air pressure in your tires, kiss your spouse, maybe your dog and kids, go through your junk mail (you might have a hidden rebate check in one) take out the trash, do the dishes in the sink so you will have a bowl and spoon for your next meal, read your Bible and pray daily, thank God for your life and more. Take care of the little things and life won't buck you so often.
This is Jeff saying 'Starting with a good beginning doesn't guarantee a good ending but it sure helps!'
Matt. 6:33
By the way, the owner was happy with her newly trained horse. But is the horse happy with her?
I sent home a colt last week who was pretty good. I was pleased with him until I had the owner come to pick him up and then began to demonstrate what 'Sonny' new now that he had been under my tutelage for a month. Everything went smoothly, he did everthing I asked for from the ground on the lunge line, lateral and vertical softness, backing, standing to be saddled and have his feet picked out. I even sidepassed him on the rail a few times. His owner was impressed. The smooth sailing continued as I mounted from the off side and bent him to softness laterally, vertically and asked him to back on two reins. We moved out at a walk and then bent him to a stop, 1 rein, and then a disengagement, to show her the breaks worked really good on this colt. We even did it all from a trot. I asked for a few steps in sidepassing both directions. Then I asked him to canter. That is when it happened. He bucked, just a little, to let me know that He didn't like being asked to move faster. So I bent him to a slow trot on a circle then asked him to stretch out and canter again, then he bucked pretty good. Now this was rather embarrassing as I don't imagine a horse owner who has paid good money to have their horse trained really wants to take their 'bucking' horse home yet. However, I had this problem solved. He had done the same thing to me before, so I put an extra pad on his withers above the scapula, but that didn't work initially until I had also trimmed his toes on his rear feet. Most of us don't like to step on our toes consistently or to be stepped on so we take steps to avoid it. He was clipping his front heel with his hind foot, so taking off some toe solved that problem. The combination of extra pad, and shortened toe made asking for a canter no problemo. However, the day the owner came I stupidly decided I didn't need the extra pad under saddle. Then came the bucking and the red face. I quickly put the extra pad on and cantered away with no problem. This just goes to show you pride goes before a fall/or buck. It reminds me that taking care of the little irritants of life makes the rest of the day go lots better. What I mean is, take care of the little things, wash your underwear and socks, take a shower, eat a good breakfast, go to work, be kind to everyone, smile, change the oil in your car regularly, check the air pressure in your tires, kiss your spouse, maybe your dog and kids, go through your junk mail (you might have a hidden rebate check in one) take out the trash, do the dishes in the sink so you will have a bowl and spoon for your next meal, read your Bible and pray daily, thank God for your life and more. Take care of the little things and life won't buck you so often.
This is Jeff saying 'Starting with a good beginning doesn't guarantee a good ending but it sure helps!'
Matt. 6:33
By the way, the owner was happy with her newly trained horse. But is the horse happy with her?
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